His Excellency Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism, HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director-General of the Department, visited the island of Marawah yesterday to see the latest developments on the excavation

They were accompanied by RIta Aoun-Abdo (Executive Director – Culture Sector, Department of Culture and Tourism) and Professor Peter Magee (Consultant to the Chairman, Department of Culture and Tourism).

The group met the team of archaeologists working on the island which included Dr Mark Jonathan Beech (Head of Coastal Heritage and Palaeontology), Dr Richard Cuttler, Abdulla Khalfan Al Kaabi, Zahir Khan, Rabin Rai and Rashid Ali from the Department of Culture and Tourism, as well as Dr Olivier Brunet and John Martin.

Earlier this year, a team of archaeologists on the island announced important archaeological discoveries that provided important information about the nature of human societies in Abu Dhabi more than 7,000 years ago.

Commenting on the previous excavations and ongoing excavations on Marawah Island, HE Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “The archaeological discoveries on Marawah island are invaluable sources, which enable us to research and discovery more deeply the history of Abu Dhabi and the region, and to understand the roots of our history and our heritage. We in the Culture and Tourism Department are committed to the conservation and preservation of these historical discoveries. We plan to undertake advanced research, documenting all these discoveries , in order to ensure the transmission of these historical treasures to future generations. Only through careful studies and diligent excavation of such archaeological sites can this be effectively carried out. ”